For such a time as this we were born into the eleventh hour on
earth. As Christians we are called to stand upright in the midst of
the perilous times that we are living in. God never allows us to be in
difficult situations without providing us clear direction of a pathway
from His Word, the Bible. So that is where we look to for our steps
to become polished jewels in the hands of our Maker. Mal 3:17.
The wonderful part about is happening in the world is that these are
all signs of the approaching return of Jesus Christ to earth according
to Matthew 24. As we read that portion of Scripture we find vivid
descriptions of the situations that the world is currently
experiencing. Mt 24:3-14. We also find a clear pathway to walk
through these times victoriously as Christians. Mt 24:6,
Deception abounds before His return. Mt 24:4,11. It is my belief
that we are living in the most deceptive time since the beginning of
life on earth; people call evil good and good evil. There are false
prophets in every realm of life proclaiming they have the way, but
there is only one Way. Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth and the
Life. Jo 14:6.
Daily we hear of wars and rumors or wars. Mt 24:6. In October of
2014 there were wars going on in Israel, Syria, Ukraine, Burma –
Myanmar, Lebanon, Nigeria, Libya, Yemen, Egypt, Algeria, Afghanistan,
Iraq and the United States in the war on terror involving Issis.
Pestilences and plagues keep the world pot stirred up as they come in
waves upon earth, one right after another each one coming closer
together and stronger like birth pangs.
Mt 24:7. Seventy-five million people have been infected and
thirty-six million people have died from HIV. Currently the world is
facing Ebola, a concerning threat for a full blown plague which could
kill millions of people and affect all nations.
Famines and droughts have plagued earth increasingly over the last few
years.
Droughts bring famines. Currently on earth there are great famines
occurring. In 2012 over 260,000 people died from famine in Somali.
North Korea and South Sudan are currently experiencing famines.
We are seeing huge earthquakes and many more are expected in divers
places. Haiti was devastated by an earthquake that rocked that
nation. So far this year we have had 12, 986 earthquakes in the
world. Of those 12,986, 123 were 6.0-8.2 magnitude. The Pacific
coastline of the United States is on alert for an impending earthquake
in the 9 realm along with accompanying tsunamis. If you drive the
Oregon, Washington coastline you will see tsunami warning signs
posted. If you stay in a hotel on the coast of Oregon they provide
you with an information sheet on what to do if there is a tsunami.
The Seattle news has published a warning that there is huge earthquake
coming.
Betrayal is always hard, but in Matthew 24:9 we see that Christians
will be betrayed by others, hated for their beliefs and some will be
killed. The current threat from Issis is a clear example. They want
to kill all Christians and Jews on earth.
Jesus says that one of the signs of His soon return will be that
brother will deliver up brother to be killed and fathers will deliver
their own children to death and children will rise up against their
parents and have them put to death. Mt 10:21. Never in history has
this Scripture been relevant such as it is in the world today. The
world has been infiltrated by radical Muslims who will not only turn
family members into their brotherhood to be killed, but they will kill
family members who try to convert to Christianity. In their law it is
an honor to do this.
In 2009 a 17 year-old girl in the United States ran away from her
Muslim family in Columbus, Ohio. She took refuge with a Christian
Pastor’s family in Florida. CNN reported, “The teenager, in a sworn
affidavit, claims her father, Mohamed Bary, 47, was pressured by the
mosque the family attends in Ohio to “deal with the situation.” In the
court filing, Rifqa Bary stated her father said, “If you have this
Jesus in your heart, you are dead to me!” The teenager claims her
father added, “I will kill you!” There was enough evidence for
Florida to allow the girl to remain there with a family for her own
safety.
Do these things make you fearful? The Bible tells us to not be
fearful and to not love our lives unto death. Re 2:10. Great heroes
have gone before us who have died well. The Lord was with them and He
will be with us until the end. Now we all may get raptured out of
here before that, but the fact is that we are clearly in the beginning
of sorrows.
It would benefit us to make up our minds to endure to the end
victoriously if Jesus tarries in His coming. Mt 24:13.
Clearly in Matthew 24 God has given us a path to walk through all
that we face. Coming back to His Word, in the midst of all the signs,
He tells us to not be troubled. Mt 24:6. Do not be afraid or
terrified by the things that are happening. 2 Thessalonians tells us,
“That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by
spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of
Christ is at hand.”
Walk in peace, be led by God’s peace and rest in peace at night. His
peace passes all understanding and will keep your hearts and minds in
Christ Jesus. Php 4:7. Don’t allow yourself to be troubled or
fearful by all that is happening around you or in the world.
Now this does not mean to hide your head in the sand and pretend that
you will never have to walk through anything as many are doing. You
need to set in your heart and mind that no matter what may happen you
will follow Jesus all the days of your life and serve only Him. It
may cost your life, count the cost now so when things heat up that
decision has already been made in your heart. “Though none go with me
still I will follow.” If all fall away around you make up your mind
to still follow Him.
This is our finest hour as Christians to rise up and witness not only
in words which we are famous for as a nation, but in our everyday life
walk. Currently Coeur d’ Alene, Idaho is in the national news because
of a Christian couple who made the decision to follow the Word of
God. They own the Hitching Post, a famous wedding chapel downtown.
Because of their refusal to marry same sex couples they are being
threatened with jail time of 180 days and heavy fines. They are
standing and not backing down. Their faithfulness says more than any
preaching from a pulpit.
A few weeks ago pastors in Houston had their sermon notes required by
a gay mayor who fears what is being said from the pulpits. Pastors
should do what Mike Huckleberry on Fox News suggested, “Every pastor
in this country should send her your sermon notes!” “And every
layman should send her a Bible.”
Many pastors in America have preached that we as Christians would
never see these things, but we will be raptured out of it all. The
problem with that preaching is those times are here and we are still
here. Christians are totally unprepared and asleep in America. We
need every pastor to stand up and sound the trumpet of a clear wake up
call. I have a wake up bell in our home. If our kids don’t get up
the first time I ring the bell louder and longer until they wake up.
This is what pastors should do and when they are awake they should
prepare their people to be witnesses.
We have a great host of brothers and sisters who have walked through
the fires of persecution. When you have a lit candle it brings light,
but when there is wind the fires are fanned into roaring flames.
Persecution is the tool the Holy Spirit uses to fan the flame within
into a roaring fire. In China the roaring fire has produced over 100
million believers.
Matthew 24:14 tells us, “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be
preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then
shall the end come.” Christians! We are the ones who are called to
preach in all the world as Christ’s witnesses with our words and
lives. This is the hour, wake up!
Stand up and take your place.
Endurance will be one of the tools we will need to have for our walk
through these times. The Bible says, speaking of the Christians, those
who endure to the end shall be saved. Mt 24:13. Enduring involves
being immovable as we abound in the work of the Lord. I Co 15.58.
Endurance involves taking a stand. After we do all sometimes we just
have to stand.
Ep 6:13.
As we walk through these perilous times let us remember to not let
our hearts be troubled. We are to “be anxious for nothing, but in
everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your
requests be made known to God, and the peace of God, which surpasses
all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ
Jesus.” Phil 4:6,7. Proclaim Jesus Christ for many will come to His
brightness during these dark times. Be faithful in your witness.
“And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I
make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son
that serveth him.”Mal 3:17. Endure to the end for there is great
reward in Heaven.
I hope to see you there!